2026 NHL Draft rankings: Can Chase Reid's offensive upside overshadow other deficiencies? originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The NHL draft lottery is just two weeks away, and the NHL draft is just over two months away.
It’s an exciting time for NHL draft-eligible prospects, and exciting for NHL teams whose seasons didn’t go the way they hoped.
In this week’s edition of The Sporting News top 10 NHL draft rankings, we see Chase Reid slide once again, as holes in his game continue to be exposed. Will scouts be deterred from this, or do they believe in his high offensive upside?
Gavin McKenna is the bona fide No. 1. No question at all. He possesses speed, swagger, and scoring ability. These three things make him a cornerstone player, depending on the team. Vancouver has the best odds of winning first overall at 18.5%. If he goes there, he will be the star of their show, helping to inject life into the Canucks’ offense.
If he were to end up in Chicago, he and Connor Bedard could form one of the best offensive duos in the NHL from day one.
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Stenberg continues his off-season after Frolunda’s elimination and the team’s announcement that he will not be returning for the 2026-27 SHL season. Chicago remains in second place in the Draft Lottery at 13.5%. The Blackhawks’ last Swedish selection in Anton Frondell has panned out well so far, so they could go back to the well for Stenberg.
While McKenna would bring high-end offensive abilities for someone like Bedard, Stenberg’s defensive versatility could help balance Bedard’s game.
Despite North Dakota coming up short against Wisconsin, Verhoeff looked solid as a third-pairing defenseman playing outside his usual role. His ceiling went up in my book as we went deeper into the NCAA Tournament.
A well-respected NHL scout said Verhoeff reminds him a lot of Alex Pietrangelo. Verhoeff has a more well-rounded game, coupled with excellent size, which puts him as my No. 1 defenseman in the draft.
After winning Game 4, Smits and Munchen were eliminated by Alder Mannheim in Game 5. Smits finished the playoffs with six points (two goals and four assists) in 11 games.
I was impressed by his hockey IQ, as he went from Finland to Germany while still playing productive hockey. He may not have the highest ceiling among defensemen in the draft, but he is the most NHL-ready. It wouldn’t shock me if Florida picked Smits up as the Panthers hope to win another Stanley Cup.
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Bjorck’s decision to play U20 Djurgardens paid off. He and the team won the Swedish U20 Championship, sweeping Frolunda three games to none. That loyalty to Djurgarden earns a lot of character points in my book, and I’m sure NHL teams are taking note of it. Teams that hold places fourth through eighth best odds in the draft lottery are separated by just 2.5%. It’s hard to project where Bjorck ends up, but whoever selects him will have a player passionate about his new club.
Malhotra has continued to grow playing for Brantford. He had yet another multi-point week, notching four points (three goals and one assist) in Games 1 through 3 against North Bay.
The OHL Rookie of the Week has risen in my rankings. As a center, Malhotra is a more valuable commodity than a winger. Adding to his skill set is his father, Manny, a veteran of nearly 1,000 NHL games and the Calder Cup Champion coach of the AHL’s Abbotsford Canucks.
The Brantford Bulldogs have only played one game since our last report, sweeping the North Bay Battalion on April 15. Despite Malhotra not registering a point, I am not worried in the least bit. It seems that Game 4 was an anomaly, and look for Malhotra to continue to evolve in the OHL Conference Finals. Game 1 against Barrie is tomorrow at 6 p.m. CT.
High-pressure consistency remains a concern for me regarding Reid. The Kitchener Rangers eliminated the Soo Greyhounds in five games. Throughout the series, Reid earned four points. While seeming solid on paper, three of those points were in Game 3. Michigan State may provide some assistance in helping round out the defensive parts of Reid’s game when he arrives in East Lansing.
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